IIJS Signature Jewelry and Diamond Expo 2012

GJEPC’s India International Jewelry Show
(IIJS) Signature is India's top-of-the-line jewelry show, showcasing
the best jewelry collections by the country's leading manufacturers.

Its
fifth edition was held from 6th Jan to 9th Jan, 2012 in Mumbai, India.
More than 450 companies participated and exhibited their products in 800
booths at the show.

Most of the big diamond and jewelry
companies from India and abroad showcased their products and got the
market pulse at this four day event. The focus was more on finished
jewelry top quality design, craftsmanship and finish.

In addition to finished jewelry, the show
also had a wide range of loose diamonds on display by national and
international diamond houses.

National & International Exhibitors

According to official sources, 409 leading jewelry companies from across the country (from Surat, Mumbai, Jaipur, New Delhi and Bangalore) and about 46 jewelry companies from the countries like Israel, Belgium, Thailand and Turkey participated in the show.

The jewelry section at the exhibition witnessed serious buyers who were attracted to the designer couture jewelry on display. Jewelry with delicate designs and European or international flare were hot, especially lightweight, yellow gold items with long gentle curves, set with lower quality colored diamonds.

Mixed use of yellow and white gold in a single diamond jewelry item, mostly with floral designs is the rising trend.

Keeping sky-rocketing price of gold in mind, heavy gold jewelry items in traditional designs were made lighter to maintain their saleability. Gold jewelry had more filigree (jaali) work, while the use of colored stones with diamonds was another clearly visible trend.

Market Pulse

The high price of gold is leading Indian jewelry retailers to incline towards jewelry designs that successfully reduce the content of gold, yet retain the feeling of a good-size item.

The diamond items that did generate interest in local buyers were marquise and emerald shaped goods. Demand for these items was in a wide range of color and clarity, mainly a reflection of different regional tastes.

Matching sets, a staple of many of the Israeli exhibitors, did well, especially lower quality/color (SI-/H-K) emerald-cut sets. Higher quality sets were in lesser demand.

Exhibitors reported strong pressure on prices, with buyers complaining bitterly about the worsening Indian rupee exchange rate against the U.S. dollar. Presently, $1 = INR 52.85 (at the time of writing this article).

Conclusion from IIJS Signature

IIJS Signature concluded with a clear indication that the slowdown in jewelry industry over the last few months is here to stay. Visitor traffic which was slow for the first one and a half days, increased significantly in the second half of Saturday and on Sunday, though the final day was once again dull.

Loose polished diamonds were in low demand, much to the dismay of diamond traders. Foot traffic in the loose diamond section was much less compared to the jewelry sections. While within the jewelry sections, the traffic in the gold jewelry segment appeared marginally higher.

Next year IIJS Signature moves closer to the April-May festival and wedding season and will be held at the same venue from February 22-25, 2013. It is expected to be about 20 percent bigger in magnitude and splendor.

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